Teacher Salary in Pakistan 2026: PST, EST, SST, Lecturer

Teacher salary in Pakistan starts at BPS-14, where a primary school teacher’s core gross is Rs 48,257 a month before house rent allowance. A college lecturer starts in BPS-17, with a core gross of Rs 87,965 a month.

This guide works out the teacher salary from the notified BPS-2026 chart and the Finance Division allowance OMs, component by component, for all four posts, with the provincial grade differences explained and the qualification route at the end.

Teacher salary at a glance#

A government teacher in Pakistan starts in BPS-14, and the grade decides the pay.

All four figures are before house rent allowance. House rent allowance is extra: 45% in big cities and 30% elsewhere, on the scale minimum.

Teacher posts and grades in Pakistan#

Punjab has three school teacher grades after the 1 January 2018 upgradation: PST is BPS-14, EST is BPS-15, and SST is BPS-16. The Punjab Finance Department notification of 1 October 2018 upgraded PST from BPS-09 to BPS-14 and EST from BPS-14 to BPS-15.

Punjab’s contract educator posts carry different names for the same grades. ESE (Elementary School Educator) is BPS-14, SESE (Senior Elementary School Educator) is BPS-15, and SSE (Secondary School Educator) is BPS-16. ESE, SESE and SSE are the same grades as PST, EST and SST.

The senior school posts in Punjab are Subject Specialist and Headmaster or Deputy Headmaster at BPS-17, and Senior Subject Specialist, Senior Headmaster and Deputy District Education Officer at BPS-18.

For BS-17, the qualification is a Master’s degree in second division plus M.Ed, M.A. (Education) or B.Ed in second division. Two thirds of BS-17 posts are filled by promotion from SSTs with two years service as SST.

Sindh’s grades are PST BPS-14, JEST (Junior Elementary School Teacher) BPS-14, ECT (Early Childhood Teacher) BPS-15 for women only, HST (High School Teacher) BPS-16, and SST BPS-16 recruited through SPSC. EST is BPS-16 in Sindh, a promotion post created by SE&LD notification of 6 November 2024, and it needs a STEDA teaching licence. Headmaster or Headmistress is BPS-17 in Sindh.

KP’s grades under the 2024 Teaching Cadre Policy are PST BPS-12, CT (Certified Teacher) BPS-15, SST BPS-16, and SS (Subject Specialist) BPS-17. The policy notification of 19 July 2024 covers the teaching cadre from BPS-12 to BPS-16.

The KP cabinet approved upgrading PST to BPS-14 and SST to BPS-17 in January 2023, but the July 2024 policy still lists the old grades, so this guide uses the 2024 policy grades.

Balochistan advertises SST at BPS-17 in the October 2026 advertisements, on an ad-hoc basis for one year. That grade differs from Punjab and Sindh, where SST is BPS-16. The October 2026 advertisements are the source for the BPS-17 grade.

Federal schools under FGEI have Elementary School Teacher at BPS-14 and Secondary School Teacher at BPS-16. A college lecturer is BPS-17 everywhere: Punjab, Sindh, KP and federal recruitment all advertise the lecturer post at BPS-17.

For the full 22-grade chart, see our pay scale chart 2026 guide. If you want the pay detail behind each grade, see the live BPS-14 and BPS-17 guides linked in the worked examples below.

PST teacher salary: worked example (BPS-14)#

A starting PST teacher in BPS-14 takes home Rs 43,584 a month, before house rent allowance.

The method matches the live BPS-14 guide: core gross before house rent allowance, ARA-2023 and ARA-2024 on the BPS-2022 minimum, and ARA-2026 at 7% of running basic pay. Conveyance is Rs 4,284 for BPS 11 to 15, medical allowance is Rs 1,500 for BPS-1 to 16 only, and GP Fund is 8% of the mean of the scale.

Income tax is on the TY2027 slabs. For the BPS-14 detail, see our BPS-14 salary guide.

A starting PST pays no income tax, because the annual gross of Rs 579,084 is below the Rs 600,000 threshold. House rent allowance is extra: 45% in big cities, Rs 12,177, and 30% elsewhere, Rs 8,118, on the scale minimum.

The ARA rates are the verified standard: ARA-2023 is 35% for BPS 1 to 16 and 30% for BPS 17 to 22, and ARA-2024 is 25% for BPS 1 to 16 and 20% for BPS 17 to 22. Both are on the minimum of the BPS-2022 scale and frozen. ARA-2026 is 7% of running basic pay.

The rates are in Finance Division OM No.F.1(2)IMP/2026-0004, 4 August 2026. The full BPS-2026 revision is on the Finance Division website.

EST teacher salary: worked example (BPS-15)#

A starting EST teacher in BPS-15 takes home Rs 45,714 a month, before house rent allowance.

The EST pays Rs 9 a month in income tax, because the annual gross of Rs 610,524 is only Rs 10,524 above the Rs 600,000 threshold. House rent allowance is extra: 45% in big cities, Rs 12,929, and 30% elsewhere, Rs 8,619, on the scale minimum.

SST teacher salary: worked example (BPS-16)#

A starting SST teacher in BPS-16 takes home Rs 55,842 a month, before house rent allowance.

SST (Science), SST (General) and SST (Computer Science) are the same grade, BPS-16, with different subject streams. SST (Science) teaches Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics in high school, SST (General) teaches arts subjects, and SST (Computer Science) teaches computer science.

The qualification differs by stream: MSc in the science subject plus B.Ed for Science, MA in the arts subject plus B.Ed for General. House rent allowance is extra: 45% in big cities, Rs 15,174, and 30% elsewhere, Rs 10,116, on the scale minimum.

Lecturer salary: worked example (BPS-17)#

A starting college lecturer in BPS-17 takes home Rs 79,966 a month, before house rent allowance.

For the BPS-17 detail, see our BPS-17 salary guide.

BPS-17 and above do not get the fixed medical allowance of Rs 1,500 a month. They get medical reimbursement instead. House rent allowance is extra: 45% in big cities, Rs 24,363, and 30% elsewhere, Rs 16,242, on the scale minimum.

With the Punjab MPhil allowance of Rs 5,000 a month, a lecturer with an MPhil grosses Rs 92,965 and nets Rs 84,916. With the Punjab PhD allowance of Rs 10,000 a month, a lecturer with a PhD grosses Rs 97,965 and nets Rs 89,866. These two lines are the only place the MPhil and PhD allowance enters a worked example.

Teaching allowances in Pakistan#

The only teaching-related allowance with a confirmed notification is the MPhil and PhD allowance in Punjab.

The MPhil allowance in Punjab is Rs 5,000 a month. The PhD allowance is Rs 10,000 a month. The LLM allowance is Rs 5,000 a month.

Under the Punjab Finance Department notification No. FD.SR.I/9-21/2016 dated 22 August 2019, the allowance is admissible to all government servants across the board, without linking it to the recruitment rules or the job assigned to the post, with effect from 1 August 2019.

It is admissible from the date of notification of the final result for those already in service, and from the date of joining for new entrants already in possession of the degree. The degree must be from an HEC-recognised university.

The Punjab PhD allowance of Rs 10,000 a month is not the federal PhD allowance. No federal PhD allowance figure is published. Rs 25,000 is not a confirmed federal PhD allowance figure.

The Punjab government has announced a mandatory competency test for MPhil and PhD-qualified school teachers, with additional allowances for those who pass and are posted to high or higher secondary schools. The exact allowance percentage is not yet notified, and no test date or syllabus has been announced.

Assistant Education Officers (BPS-16) draw an Inspection Allowance of Rs 25,000 a month. The figure appears in the discussion of the Punjab Finance Department letter of 2018. No notification confirms the Rs 25,000 figure.

No notification publishes a general teaching allowance, a science teaching allowance, a hardship allowance for teachers, or a school council allowance. The other allowances a teacher draws are the standard ones: conveyance, medical, house rent, GP Fund and Benevolent Fund.

Teacher salary by province#

The core gross is the same for the same grade everywhere, because the BPS chart is federal. The difference is the grade each province gives the same post.

A KP PST in BPS-12 starts below a Punjab PST in BPS-14, because the grade is lower. A Balochistan SST in BPS-17 starts above a Punjab SST in BPS-16, because the grade is higher. The lecturer grade is the same everywhere: BPS-17.

Private school teacher salary#

Private school pay is not a scale. It varies by school, city and experience, and every figure below is a reported range, never an official scale.

Elite networks like Beaconhouse, City School, Roots and LACAS pay toward the higher end of the ranges. Smaller or rural private schools often start lower than the government entry scales. English, Maths, Science and Computer teachers pay higher than other subjects in private schools.

How to become a teacher in Pakistan#

Each province recruits its own teachers, through a different testing body.

1. Get the degree. A B.A, B.Sc or BS (4 years) in the subject you want to teach. For a lecturer, a Master’s degree or BS (16 years education) in the relevant subject, at least 2nd division.
2. Get the teaching qualification. B.Ed for school teaching, and M.Ed for the senior posts. In Sindh, a STEDA teaching licence is needed for promotion to EST (BS-16).
3. Apply through the province’s testing body. Punjab recruits school teachers through PPSC. Sindh recruits PST and JEST through SIBA Testing Services, and SST and Headmaster through SPSC. KP recruits through ETEA. Lecturers are recruited through PPSC in Punjab, SPSC in Sindh, KPPSC in KP and FPSC at the federal level.
4. Pass the test and the interview. The test is subject-based, and the interview tests teaching ability and subject knowledge.
5. Join and complete probation. Probation applies as for other government posts.

Punjab is currently recruiting ESE (BS-14) posts under the Punjab Workers Welfare Fund through PPSC, closing 28 November 2026. The advertisement is on the PPSC website.

The Chief Minister approved a 30,000+ educator recruitment (PST 12,000, EST 10,000, SST 8,000) through PPSC, but as of November 2026 PPSC has not advertised those posts.

Sindh recruits PST and JEST through SIBA Testing Services, on the STS portal. More than 93,000 teachers received appointment letters from the PST and JEST drive, which closed on 30 June 2025.

The 750 Arts Teacher (BPS-14) posts advertised in October 2026 closed on 15 November 2026. SST and Headmaster posts in Sindh are recruited through the SPSC website. KP recruits through the ETEA website under the Teaching Cadre Policy 2024.

The Punjab School Education Department is on the School Education Department website, and the Higher Education Department is on the HED website.

Punjab also runs School Teacher Interns (STI), a paid temporary internship, not a permanent post. The November 2026 round runs 1 November 2026 to 31 May 2027 and pays Primary Rs 35,000, Middle Rs 38,000 and High and Higher Secondary Rs 45,000 a month.

STI stipends are fixed per advertisement and change between cycles. STI posts do not lead to regularisation.

The Punjab Finance Department, by letter dated 4 November 2026, approved the creation of 1,629 headmaster, headmistress, senior headmaster and senior headmistress posts on a Lump-sum Pay Package in lieu of the abolished BS-17 and BS-18 posts.

The lump-sum salary figures are not yet finalised. Recruitment through PPSC is anticipated. For the full application detail, see our application for teaching job guide.

Teacher salary vs nurse salary#

A starting teacher earns less than a starting nurse, because the nurse starts two grades higher and gets nursing allowances on top. For the nurse figures, see our nurse salary guide.

A starting PST (BPS-14) core gross is Rs 48,257. A starting staff nurse (BPS-16) core gross is Rs 61,923, about Rs 13,700 more than a PST.

A starting SST (BPS-16) core gross is Rs 61,923, the same as a starting staff nurse, because the grade is the same. With the Sindh nursing allowances the nurse gross is Rs 91,023, about Rs 29,100 more than the SST.

A college lecturer (BPS-17) core gross is Rs 87,965, the same as a head nurse, because the grade is the same. With the Sindh nursing allowances the head nurse gross is Rs 114,565. The nurse earns more in total because of the nursing allowances, not because of the grade.

Pension and benefits#

Yes, government teachers get a pension. A teacher appointed on a regular basis is a civil servant and gets a pension on retirement.

Pension equals (24-month average emoluments x 7 x service years) / 300, maximum 70% at 30 years service, minimum 10 years service. Contract educators and STI interns do not get a pension until regularised.

• GP Fund: BS-12 to 22 subscribe at 8% of the mean of the scale.
• Benevolent Fund: subscription Rs 120 to 960 a month by slab.
• Group Insurance: premium Rs 381 to 1,090 a month, with the government paying the premium for BPS 1 to 15 only.
• Annual increment: BPS-14 Rs 2,090 a year, BPS-15 Rs 2,380, BPS-16 Rs 2,720, BPS-17 Rs 4,110.
• Earned leave: 48 days a year (4 a month).
• Retirement age: 60 years.

Mistakes to avoid#

The most common mistakes with teacher salary in Pakistan are about the old grades, the announced jobs and the allowances.

• Using BPS-09 for a PST: PST was BPS-09 before the 1 January 2018 upgradation. PST is BPS-14 in Punjab now.
• Using BPS-14 for an EST: EST is BPS-15 in Punjab after the 2018 upgradation, not BPS-14.
• Using BPS-15 for an SST: SST is BPS-16 in Punjab and Sindh. Balochistan advertises SST at BPS-17; state that only for Balochistan.
• Expecting the 30,000 educator jobs to be announced: the Chief Minister approved the recruitment and the advertisement is awaited. As of November 2026, PPSC has not advertised those posts.
• Expecting a general teaching allowance: no notification publishes a general teaching allowance, a science teaching allowance or a hardship allowance. The only teaching-related allowance with a confirmed notification is the Punjab MPhil and PhD allowance.
• Expecting the federal PhD allowance to be Rs 25,000: No federal PhD allowance figure is published. The Punjab figure is PhD Rs 10,000 and MPhil Rs 5,000 a month.
• Counting Executive Allowance for a lecturer: Executive Allowance is for federal secretariat officers, not lecturers or school teachers.
• Quoting Rs 130,000 as a lecturer’s salary: the worked lecturer core gross is Rs 87,965. Even with house rent allowance in a big city, the gross is Rs 112,328.
• Assuming an STI post becomes permanent: STI is a temporary internship with a fixed stipend that changes between cycles. It does not lead to regularisation.

Frequently asked questions#

What is the salary of an SST teacher? A starting SST teacher in BPS-16 has a core gross of Rs 61,923 a month, before house rent allowance. The take-home is Rs 55,842 a month. In Balochistan, SST is advertised at BPS-17, so the starting pay there is higher.

What BPS is a lecturer? BPS-17 everywhere. A college lecturer is BPS-17 in Punjab, Sindh, KP and federal recruitment, with a starting core gross of Rs 87,965 a month.

What is the starting salary of a PST teacher? A starting PST teacher in BPS-14 has a core gross of Rs 48,257 a month, before house rent allowance. The take-home is Rs 43,584 a month, and a starting PST pays no income tax.

What is the salary of an EST teacher? A starting EST teacher in BPS-15 has a core gross of Rs 50,877 a month, before house rent allowance. The take-home is Rs 45,714 a month.

Do teachers get a pension? Yes, if appointed on a regular basis. A teacher is a civil servant and gets a pension on retirement, with a minimum of 10 years service. Contract educators and STI interns do not get a pension until regularised.

How does teacher pay compare to a nurse’s? A starting PST (BPS-14) core gross is Rs 48,257, about Rs 13,700 less than a starting staff nurse at Rs 61,923.

A starting SST (BPS-16) core gross is Rs 61,923, the same as a staff nurse, but with the Sindh nursing allowances the nurse gross is Rs 91,023, about Rs 29,100 more. A college lecturer (BPS-17) has the same core gross as a head nurse, Rs 87,965.

What is the STI stipend? STI is a paid temporary internship, not a permanent post. The November 2026 round pays Primary Rs 35,000, Middle Rs 38,000 and High and Higher Secondary Rs 45,000 a month. STI stipends are fixed per advertisement and change between cycles.

Can a diploma holder become a teacher? A B.Ed is the teaching qualification for school teaching, and a Master’s degree plus B.Ed or M.Ed is needed for the senior posts. A diploma alone does not qualify you for a PST, EST or SST post. Check the advertisement for the exact qualification, because it differs by post and stream.

The federal rule is the same for every province: a teacher’s pay follows the BPS grade, not the province. PST is BPS-14, EST is BPS-15, SST is BPS-16 and a lecturer is BPS-17 in Punjab. KP is the exception, where PST is BPS-12. Balochistan is the exception for SST, advertised at BPS-17.

The MPhil and PhD allowance is a Punjab allowance, verified by the Finance Department notification of 22 August 2019. It is Rs 5,000 a month for MPhil and Rs 10,000 a month for PhD. No notification confirms a general teaching allowance.